There are plenty of fandoms I’ve been a part of longer than Backstreet Boys like Alvin and the Chipmunks and Disney movies from the ‘90s, but it’s that boy band that really helped define who I am as a fangirl; attention detailed, obsessive, and way too into pop songs about both love and heartbreak. They are one of the first things that connected me and my best friend at 10, the reason I bonded with people later in life, and why I made my way to Las Vegas for their residency at The Sphere all these years later. And while the show itself was amazing, and we’ll talk about the experience at The Venetian at some point, I wanted to kick off this week talking about the best part of the Backstreet Boys – their fans.
Like Taylor Swift and Beyonce, BSB sent out a memo to wear white and “Millennium” blue to the show and that memo was well received. Fans showed up and showed out in their best white and light blue ensembles with moments of platinum here and there. Everyone looked amazing, and honestly…my favorite part was that. I love a theme, and I love it even more when it is done well. Shout out to every fan who wore their best, especially the group of girls in the silk two-piece suits with matching hats, the guy in the platinum suit, and the couple who wore THE iconic Britney/Justin denim outfits. You were the real ones. I saw you, appreciate you – and frankly everyone who got said memo.
On top of the outfits, which I’m a fashion fan, so I could talk about that for forever…I loved the energy from the crowd both inside and outside the venue. For some, this was their first time seeing BSB, and for others it was the…well, they lost count because it’s been a minute since many started going to their shows. No matter if it was your first or 12th show, the fans were giving that 1999 energy all these years later for songs that have been spinning in their hearts and homes for decades. And you already know my favorite part of any show is when the artist stops and the crowd sings, so to have that during one of my favorites, “The One,” the fans really did it up for that.
Lastly, as to why I’ll always hold this silly little – best selling, biggest, would never ruin the world tour – boy band…it’s the insane, and sort of magical bond you feel within the crowd. Out of everything, that was the best part of the Sphere experience with BSB for me. Moms and daughters, some who are now moms with their own kids, others bringing moms who took them to BSB once upon a time, sisters and cousins who likely spent hours on family road trips singing along to “I Want It That Way,” and then the abundance of friends who one day saw a music video on MTV, made it their entire personality, and then met others who share that same personality and just get it like no one else can. You can’t beat that with Backstreet Boys, and if you’re part of a fandom yourself, you know all too well how special that connection is when you share a love of something with someone.
Crushgasm 